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Obama campaign: Mourdock rape comment 'outrageous'

10:50 AM, Oct 24, 2012

11:41 PM, Oct 24, 2012

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President Barack Obama's campaign says a Republican Senate candidate's comments about rape are a reminder that Mitt Romney and a GOP-led Congress would feel women shouldn't be able to make choices about their health care.

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WASHINGTON -
President Barack Obama's campaign says a Republican Senate candidate's comments about rape are a reminder that Mitt Romney and a GOP-led Congress would feel women shouldn't be able to make choices about their health care.

Spokeswoman Jennifer Psaki says Obama finds Richard Mourdock's comments "outrageous and demeaning to women." Mourdock, who is running for Senate in Indiana, said that when a woman becomes pregnant during a rape "that's something God intended."

Romney is featured in a television ad supporting Mourdock. Psaki says it was "perplexing" that Romney hasn't demanded the ad be taken down.

Romney campaign spokeswoman Andrea Saul said Wednesday that Romney disagrees with Mourdock's opposition to abortion in cases of rape and incest. But she says Romney still supports Mourdock's bid.

Romney recorded a TV ad supporting Mourdock's bid that began airing in Indiana this week. A Romney official said the campaign has not asked Mourdock to stop airing the ad.

Democrats have called on Romney to disavow support for Mourdock and pull down the TV ad.

A statement on Obama's Twitter Wednesday night said, "Retweet if you agree: Romney must withdraw his support of Mourdock -- who'd force rape victims to bear an attacker's child as 'God intended.'"

Indiana gubernatorial candidate Mike Pence said that fellow Republican Richard Mourdock should apologize for the remark.

Pence issued a statement Wednesday saying he strongly disagreed with the statement Mourdock made during Tuesday night's U.S. Senate debate with Democrat Joe Donnelly.

Pence has been a leading social conservative in Congress and helped lead an unsuccessful push to cutoff federal funding to Planned Parenthood.

Texas Sen. John Cornyn is leader of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. He is standing by Mourdock, saying the candidate's comments are being construed in an "irresponsible and ridiculous" manner.

Sen. John McCain, who campaigned for Mourdock in Indianapolis, told CNN he might withdraw his support.

"It depends on what he does," McCain said.

Copyright 2012 Scripps Media, Inc. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.